Laced shoe



A. L. SCHOPPER.

v LACED SHOE. APPLICATION FILED APR-16. I919- Patented May 18,1920.

UNITED srArns ALBERT L. scrrorrnn,

F EUDORA, KANSAS.

' LAGEI) SHOE.

Application filed April 16,

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. SoHorrnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eudora, in the county of Douglas and State of Kansas, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Laced Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

The inventionrelates to means, whereby the loose ends of a shoe lace are concealed and so positioned as to obviate annoyance and discomfort to the wearer as well as to obviate an untidy appearance and undue wear on fine hosiery.

In accordancewith the present invention the tongue of a laced shoe is provided with a pocket for receiving the loose ends of the lace, said pocket having openings at its top and bottom for the introduction of a'pull, whereby the loose ends of the lace may be drawn into the pocket so as to be out of the way and concealed from view. Y

The invention also aims to utilize the lace as means for holding the upper portion of the tongue in position, thereby preventing its downward creeping or displacement which is undesirable and is the source of considerable discomfort and annoyance.-

The drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions, various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates an embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a front view of the vamp and upper portion of a laced shoe illustrating the invention applied.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1 as seen from the inner side.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail view similar-to Fig. 2 showing the pull in position and just prior to drawing the loose ends of the lace into the pocket of the tongue.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the lace pull.

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing more clearly the securing of the upper portion of the tongue by means of the lace.

Corresponding and like parts are referred Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 18, 1920.

1919. Seria1 No. 290,397.

to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawing by like reference characters. I

' The invention is adapted for boots, shoes and foot wear, or covering generally of the type adapted to be fastened by means of a lace and'provided with a tongue for covering the opening or space between the portions connected by the lace.

I The numeral 1 designates the upper of a laced shoe or like part and2 the tongue for closing the opening, as spaced between the parts which are connected by means of the lace 3. The tongue 2 is provided at its upper end with one or more openings 1 through which the lace 3 is adapted to pass, thereby securing the upper portion of the tongue to the top portion of the sl1oe-upper. A strip 5 is secured to the rear side of the tongue 2 and may consist of any material, the same being stitched along its edges to the tongue, asindicated most clearly in Fig. 3. The space 6 formed between the tongue 2 and the strip 5 constitutes a pocket for receiving the loose ends of the lace, as indicated most clearly by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 and the full lines in Fig. 2. An opening '7 is formed in the upper portion of the pocket and a corresponding opening 8 opens into the lower portion of the pocket,

both openings being formed in the tongue 2. The shoe is laced in the usual way and when passing an end of the lace through the topmost opening of the shoe it is also passed through one or both of the openings 4 of the tongue so that when the lace is drawn, the upper portion of the tongue is secured to the upper of the shoe and thereby prevented from creeping downward whichis the source of considerable annoyance and inconvenience. The ends of the lace are tied in any preferred way and are subsequently drawn into the pocket 6 to be out of the way andprevent any wear on the hose such as is usually occasioned by the ends of a lace when free andpermitted to move at every step.

For the purpose of drawingthe loose ends of the lace into the pocket 6, a pull 9 is provided such as shown most clearly in Fig. 6, the same consisting of a length of wire which is doubled upon itself, the ends being twisted together, as indicated at 10, thereby forming a grip to enable the finger of the hand to obtain a firm purchase upon. when operating the pull to draw the loose ends of the lace into the pocket. The fold of the Wire constitutes an eye 11 through which the loose ends 3 of the lace 3 are passed, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 5 and upon Withdrawing the pull 9 from the pocket 6 the loose ends 3 of the lace are drawn into the pocket and assume the position indicated in Fig. 2. The reinforced ends of the lace are preferably made much shorter than usual to admit of their being drawn into the pocket 6.

After the shoe has been; laced and the ends of the lace tied in any desired way; the pull 9 is introduced through the lower opening 8 and is moved upward through the pocket 6 until the eye 11 of the pull passes out through the upper opening 7 after which the loose ends 3 of the lace are passed through the eye 11 and the pull withdrawn from the pocket by a downward movement, thereby drawing the loose ends 3 of the, lace into the pocket. By having the pull 9 made of Wire it is sufiiciently stout and flexible to he passed through the pocket 6 and by having the end formed with the eye 11 curved laterally, saideye Will pass through the opening 7 when reaching said opening and the pull is continued in its upward movement. By proper manipulation of the pull assisted by the hand of the operator the pull may be easily and conveniently passed through the pocket 6 draws it'from' the pocket 6 and at the same time ,draWs the loose ends of the lace into the pocket.

'lheforegoing description and the drawing' have reference to What may be consideredvthepreferred,,or approved form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in eonstructiouand arrangement and combination of part-s inaterials, dimensions, yet .cetera as may. prove expedient andi fall within: the scope of the appended claim.-

ol-Ianing thusiully gdescnibed-my invention, what; I claim; as newhiand desire tossecure by: Letters; Patent; is

A, lace shoe, provided with mtongue; having upper; and lower openings and a. strip secured to themearsideof; the; tongue and forming a pocket forieceiving the loose. ends of the lace which are:adaptedhto be' drawn into the pocket Joy means of a pull adapted to be passed-through the pocket and the openings thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix; my. signature in presence of tvsrowitnesses.

ALBERT L; so oPPEn.

Witnesses 

